The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-04-16
CHAPTER XIV.
80 slnite softe, sire mine" quod she.

--Chaucer.
The reader, however, eau learn but
little Of the causes Of this change by re-
manning to witness the affection Of the
good old lady. We shall, therefore, once
more, venture TO pi11ion the wings Of
old Time, while we relate an incident
that may assist i'll explaining them.
Mrs. BYrne eyinced nothing more
than an acquaintance with the eharac-
ter Of her servant, James Mihil. when
she supposed that he had been seiuced
INTO neglect of his domestic duties on
this evening, by a curiosity to witness
and participate i'll the festivities Of the
Eha-na- Shawn. Having, as I've imagined,
completed all the Offices which fell to
his share, on the occasion, seen the
party fairly established at tea-the
griddle laid aside to cool-the turf
basket outside the parlor-door, replen-
ished with good hard sods, broken small
SO IS to take the Gre kind!ytie silver
plated canGlesticls nicely polished, and
set in order on the tsble-so
that if any unforeseen misfortune
should detain hiua, Miss Lilly should
have nothing more 20 do than TO light
them with the twisted touch paper he
had placed near them; having taken all
these precautions, and, moreover, un-
Hoped from the wall above his own
settle-bed q small bottle Of last Easter
Sundays holy water, which he pre-
served with an economical reverence,
sprinkling his forehead with the conse-
Grated liquid, and left the house, not
without keeping a wary eye about him
as he proceeded, lest some evil disposed
spirit of the night should take him at an
advantage.
Within g few hundred yards Of the
house, lay large field which was al
lotted to I. few colIop Of cattle, as graz
ing ground, in extent being greatly dis
proportionate to the quantity of its
heritage; circumstance which was in
some measure accounted for by the
number of furze bushes which were
scattered over it. The night was al
ready dark, before James descended the
earthen stile which led into the field
and the brilljancy Of this little district
in itself, made the gloom OF the sur
rounding heavens still more dense and
impenetrable. The bushes had been set
on fire, at various corners Of the field,
and were now cracking and blazing
away with great fury. The herdsman
of the farm and some of his retainers,
with lighted faggots in their hands,
were chasing the COWS back and for
ward making themselves leap in their
desperation over the flame, and burning
the hair on their sides with their flag.
gots--a practice which is supposed to
avert the curse of barrenness in the
herd. After exchanging salutation
and q few ready jokes with the men,
James proceeded slowly, his hands be-
hind his back and broad grin Of ad
miration on his features. towards the
central bonfire of the field.
" u1Ac ue sGOott gazing oiA G1'c OldCh-
ened trunk and boughs Of the burning
shrub, the flame. as it were, following
out dwelling for itself in the center,
while it left the green and blossomy
texture overhead yet uninjured, his at
tention was attracted by the approach
of two strange men, who seemed as if
they had been exhausted by a long and
rapid journey on foot. One of them
was tall, awkwardly built fellow, to
whom James did not pay any particular
attention! but no the other-a low,
thin faced lad, with the patched and
corduroy trowsers turned up on his bare
legs, he could not avoid fixing his eyes,